Physicists Salary
The median pay for a physicists in Montana is $103,800/year ($49.9/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $54K at the entry level to $238K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97), that's roughly $107,010 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,129/month, or 17.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Montana. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $104K get you in Montana?
About physicists
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What this looks like in Montana
Pay for physicists in Montana runs about 40% below the U.S. median of $172K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,129/month, 17.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Lower pay, lower costs, Montana can be a reasonable trade-off for physicistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Montana
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $54K. Mid-career wages sit at $104K. Top earners bring in $238K or more, a $184K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track physicists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Montana numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a physicist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Montana?
Yes — at the median salary of $104K, rent takes 17.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,129/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physicists in Montana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physicists typically earn — is $54K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,210/month. At HUD’s $1,129/month FMR, rent would take 35% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is physicist a high-paying job in Montana?
Local pay runs 40% below the national median — $104K here vs. $172K nationally.
How does Montana compare to the national average for physicists?
Montana pays $104K median vs. the U.S. average of $172K — that’s -40%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $107K — below the national median.
How much do physicists make in Montana?
The median is $103,800 a year, that works out to about $50 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $53,500, and experienced physicists can clear $237,520. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $104K enough to live in Montana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,366/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,129/month, which eats 17.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a physicists salary go in Montana?
Montana has a Regional Price Parity of 97 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median physicists salary is worth about $107,010 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do physicists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.